The Fire Within
by spikeismyvampirelover
Summary: A young woman from the orient travels across the seas to the caribbean in search of a rich husband and a good future. The plan goes well until she meets a certain captain who shows her a whole new way of life, love and adventure. My first Jack/OC fic, ple


**The Fire Within**

"There is in every true woman's heart, a spark of heavenly fire, which lies dormant in the broad daylight of prosperity, but which kindles up and beams and blazes in the dark hour of adversity." Washington Irving

**ooo**

A young woman walked the length of the merchant vessel, peering at the surf from the poop deck. The salty mist from the sea was cool upon her exposed skin even in these Caribbean waters, and she gave a shiver as she watched the waves lap against the hull of the ship. She looked up to the moon, hung low and full in the eastern sky, all colorful traces of the sunset vanished in the inky velvet of the night sky. It seemed no different than the moon in the Orient, no closer, no further, simply rising above the ocean as it did in her homeland. The woman shivered once more as she felt a sudden pang of homesickness. This was her first, and if her father's plan succeeded, her last trip to the Caribbean.

"Janir" A man's voice called from the Captain's cabin, her father's voice.

"Yes?" She called back, turning from her position at the rail and striding towards the cabin.

"I've told you not to go out on deck at night, you'll catch your death of cold." he scolded. "What man will touch a sickly maiden? Eh?"

Janir lowered her head in respect, but barely heard her father's words.

_Marriage._ Why did it sound so...so...final to her ears? She remembered first reading the note from her Aunt, encouraging her father to bring her to the Caribbean to find a good husband. That was nearly a year ago, they'd begun the voyage only a few months before and were near their destination.

Janir shook her head to clear her thoughts and looked up at her father when she realized his lecture was drawing to a close.

"Can you not understand, my sweet, why this is so important?"

"I understand, Father." she lowered her head once more to hide her rebellious expression she knew was plastered firmly upon her face.

"If you'll excuse me, I'm beginning to feel the chill of the sea air, I'm retiring to my cabin. Good night." Janir leaned forward and kissed her father's cheek before entering her cabin.

Laying down her shawl upon the dressing table, she crossed to the washing basin and poured fresh water into the bowl. Stifling a groan as she thought of her father's most recent speech, she angrily splashed the water across her face. Suddenly, she felt a chill go through her body in the warm cabin. _Something is odd_, she thought as she gently dried her face. Janir looked around the room, but saw nothing out of the ordinary. Still, the feeling persisted. Giving herself a shake for letting her imagination wander, she crossed to the bed and began to undress, shedding her heavy green overdress with a sigh of relief, stretching in her shift. She missed the light flowing cloth of her filipiniana, she felt suffocated in the velvet dresses fashionable in the New World.

As she began to untie her corset, which she positively detested, she heard a sharp hiss from the far corner of her room. Whipping around and clutching her corset to her chest, she stared into the darkened corner, seeing nothing but shadows. She knew she was being watched, she could feel her skin crawling with the stare.

"I know you are there." Janir called. She pulled her loosened corset to cover herself as she called out to the shadows. "State your business! I'm not undressing with you here, I demand you leave at once."

"By all means, continue darlin'. " Janir jumped as she heard a voice drawl from the corner. "I'm enjoying this show quite a bit."

"Who is there?" she cried, grabbing her dressing gown and throwing it on. "Show yourself, or I'll alert the crew and my father."

"Now, there is no need for non-needed and or non-negotiable negotiations regarding the semi non-guilty party's aversion to the innocently benign one's aversion to said guilty party through hostility." the man slurred as he stepped into a pool of candlelight.

Janir blinked, trying to make sense of the twisted logic.

"Who are you?" she demanded.

"Why, I'm Captain Jack Sparrow." The man crowed. "You _have_ heard of me, I suppose?"

"I'm happy to say I _have not_." Janir replied, looking the man over. His appearance was utterly bizarre, mismatched articles strewn over his body, various trinkets adorning his belt. A bandana of faded claret stretched across his forehead, holding back his mass of hair, beads and locks.

She could smell him as he walked closer to her...it was not completely unpleasant. After the first whiff of unwashed man, a salty tinge hung in the air. Janir took a deep breath as Jack continued to come closer. _The sea..._ she thought..._he smells like the sea._

He was even closer now, mere feet away. For some reason, Janir was not frightened. He had pulled no pistol, unsheathed no sword, done nothing to harm her. He simply walked. _Perhaps he intends to have his way with me_, she thought, a rush of panic bringing her to her senses.

"Don't come any closer!" she yelled.

"You were doing so well, love." Jack smirked.

"I'm warning you. Leave me be." she growled.

Jack held his hands up in the air.

"I've no need of you, darlin. Ol' Jack never takes a lass what ain't willing. However..." Here he stopped and gazed around the cabin. He walked over to the walls and began lightly running his hands up and down the wood, murmuring to himself.

"Your ship is quite nice, merchant vessel I presume?"

Janir was too stunned by his behavior to do anything but nod.

"Ah yes...Well, then. If you'll kindly escort me to the deck, I shall help you take your leave."

"I beg your pardon?" Janir asked.

"Come along lass, a pirate's got to take what he can..."

Grabbing her wrist, Jack led Janir out to the empty deck.

As they passed the doorway out of her cabin, Janir spied an ornamental sword attached to the wall. Twisting away from Jack, she grabbed the weapon and pointed the tip at Jack's throat.

"Leave this vessel immediately." She said.

Jack looked surprised, but gave a low chuckle.

"Lass, don't try and bluff a pirate. You've never fought with a sword in your entire life, much less in your underthings." He smirked and ran his eyes up and down her body.

She leveled his stare, refusing to be rifled by his advances. 'I'll take my chances."

"As you wish, love."

Pulling out his sword and turning to face her, he bowed. "By your leave."

Janir lunged, trying to disarm him at least. He swatted away her attack as easy as a kitten with yarn. She tried again and again to gain some advantage, but to no avail. He was playing with her now, not even using his skills as they circled the deck. Finally, Janir lost her footing on the slippery deck and stumbled. Jack easily disarmed her.

"Please" She asked, eyes wide, stepping as far as she could towards the mast. "Take what you wish and leave us be."

Jack looked over the ship. It was a nice vessel, but not running very low in the water. He turned his attention to the panting girl in front of him. She wasn't a rich lass by the look of it, and would not bring in a large ransom. _She's got pluck_, he thought begrudgingly. He had a feeling he'd be seeing her again.

"How's about some sort of accord, darlin'? " he drew closer.

"A favor earned, then." She said nervously, the pirate only inches away.

"I'll take you up on that, dearie."

He was getting closer to her again, a few paces...a few feet...almost inches...Her back was pressed against the rail, Jack right in front of her.

"Sorry, love. Pirate." he said, placing his hands on her shoulders and beginning to push her backwards.

_He's pushing me overboard, he's going to take the ship..._

Janir began to buck wildly, trying to put space between herself and the pirate, between herself and the rail.

Twisting at the critical moment, she bumped into Jack. Letting go of her shoulders to balance himself, she placed her hands on his chest and pushed him over the rail.

She gazed over the side as he fell, watching him twist in the air to land in a dive. She watched as his head bobbed up and he began treading water.

"What's on earth is your name, lass? Athena, the goddess of trickery?" He called.

"It's Janir" She called, then inwardly cursed herself for speaking.

"Captain Jack Sparrow never forgets a face, or a name...nor a favor." He called before swimming to the stern of the ship.

Janir ran to her cabin to shut the window she assumed he first entered the cabin. She could see a small dinghy tied to the stern of the ship, though she had no idea how he had managed to catch up to their ship in a longboat.

She resisted the temptation to watch him sail away, instead shutting the window and finally beginning to dress for bed.

**ooo**

The bright Caribbean sun reflected off the water, making Janir shield her eyes and fan herself in an attempt to stave off the damp tropical heat. Their ship had been in port for three days now, and Janir was lodged in a local inn while her father attempted to find her a husband. Each morning she would awaken, a knot of worry beginning to spin in her stomach finally loosening when her father returned alone at the end of each day. She knew her father could not afford to stay in the expensive port much longer, time was working against him.

_Perhaps he will take me home._ She thought, crossing to the archway leading out of the shaded courtyard to peer out at the scenery. Hearing a sound behind her, she turned to look. She let out a sigh of relief..._Only the maid, not that..that man, again. _

_Jack Sparrow..._

The name echoed in her head through the day, his visage haunted her dreams at night.

_How could one chance meeting affect me so? _She thought angrily. _I'm lucky father is none the wiser, nor anyone else - I would be marked as ruined._

Janir ran her hand down the stone of the arch, playing with the strands of wild ivy.

"A woman lost in thought." drawled a voice from behind her. "We meet again, darlin'"

_No...it couldn't possibly..._

Fearing the worst, she turned around to face the..._that_...voice.

Jack smiled. " 'Ello, love."

Janir gave a small curtsey, knowing they were in public view and he could not possibly harm her.

"Good afternoon, Captain Sparrow. I presume you are here for your favor to be paid? What is it you wish? Gold? Jewels? A hot meal and a bath?" she smirked. "I'll not offer favors of the sort you can find there." She gestured out the archway to the path leading to the valley that held the lower class slums of Tortuga, filled with bars and brothels alike.

"If you wish for those sorts of 'favors', sir, take my coin and forsake yourself of my presence to those which you might desire."

"My, aren't we a high and mighty lass." Jack remarked dryly, walking towards her at last.

"What is it that you want, Captain Sparrow?"

"I take it you wish to, eh, 'forsake yourself of my presence' "?

"Most certainly. My father is due to return any moment, with my future husband" she lied. "I wish him not to think me ruined by the likes of _you._"

Jack raised an eyebrow.

"Betrothed, are we?"

"Yes." She answered, though her voice wavered.

"And you wish not to be _ruined_ for your lovely so called fiance' , is that it?"

"I believe you understood my meaning perfectly."

He was even closer now, her back was pressed against the arch as she moved away from him with every step he made toward her.

"A little..._ruination_..." His breath tickled the hair on her neck as he whispered the word. "...never ..." His arms were braced against the wall, pinning her to the arch ..."hurt anyone."

"You don't know" she gasped. "You've never been a part of society...you're only a pirate" she breathed.

"Pirate or not, I know what I want and I get what I want..." He leaned closer to her.

"I know what you want too, darlin...Janir..."

Janir shivered when he spoke her name.

"Want to know what it is?"

She could only nod, she was numb by the feeling of his closeness.

"You want..._freedom". _He whispered the last word into her ear.

_Freedom..._the word rang and rushed in her ears like a wave unfurled, seeming wild and untamed.

"Want to know what freedom would be like? Want me to show you?"

She knew it was wrong, she knew they could be caught in such an unseemly position, that everything she had worked for, everything her father had hoped for would be laid as waste before her eyes...she knew that everything about this was utterly and completely wrong. Yet one look in his eyes, deeper and more exotic than she had even thought upon the ship those weeks ago, sent her spinning, falling into them.

"Show me." She breathed.

Jack grinned and slowly, cautiously, closed the space between them.

Janir felt as if her body had turned to fire. Blood boiled in her veins at the heat and passion of their kiss, he drew her closer and she felt him smirk against her lips before kissing her harder and deeper than she had ever imagined. His arms snaked to encircle her waist while her hands became entangled in his mane of hair.

It was only moments, thought it could've been several days of clearest blue before Jack finally pulled away.

"That, dearie, is _freedom_. I'll consider that my favor." He winked, removing his arms from around her. "I'd best leave you for your fiance." he winked.

"Wait, Jack, don't go." Janir called softly, calling him by his first name by accident.

But he was already gone, consumed by the growing shadows of twilight.

"Jack..." she called. "Come back, come back!" Heisting her skirts in her haste, Janir ran out of the courtyard.

"Jack!" she called again.

Suddenly, he was in front of her, she collided right into his chest, her head barely brushing his chin.

"Looking for me, love?" He asked, faking innocence.

Janir stepped back and slapped his smirking face with all her might, feeling a small bubble of triumph when she saw him recoil from the sting.

"Its all your fault." She whispered angrily. "You've ruined me, corrupted me."

Jack rubbed his reddened cheek thoughtfully, but said nothing.

"Why." She growled. It wasn't a question, it was merely a statement.

"Why did you do this to me?" Angry tears formed in her eyes as she spoke.

"You told me to show you." Jack said simply.

"And you did...too much. I can't have that freedom, Captain Sparrow." she screamed. "I can never have that, don't you understand? I'm a lady, I can't do whatever I want. There are ...rules...and guidelines for me and for my class." Janir finished. "You've ruined me, if anyone ever finds out of our sins today I will have no future. No gentleman wants a pirate's harlot." She spat.

Jack continued to be silent, simply looking at her. Against her better judgement, which seemed to be failing her more and more, Janir reached out and ran her hand along his jaw.

"I hate you" she said softly, a single tear straying from her eye and running down her pale cheek. "Please leave and consider your favor paid, leave me be. Let us pray that no one shall know of this...this _incident._"

"You can never marry and settle down to churn out little 'uns, Janir." Jack said in a low rumble. "You've got fire in your eyes, lass, a fire within that burns and lets you know that every second...you're meant to be free. Do you think I would've let you by with only a favor owed if I hadn't recognized that same fire?"

He gave a low chuckle. "I can't believe the words are coming out of me mouth, but...come with me."

"I beg your pardon?" Janir whispered, hardly daring to believe her ears.

"Come on the _Pearl_, get your taste of freedom. If you find the life isn't for you, I'll drop you back home in the orient."

"Do you think me a naive girl, do you think you can lure me into your bed as easily as a kitten with cream?"

"You've certainly got a bleak outlook on pirates, darlin'. We're not _all _ the same you know. I told you once Captain Jack never takes a woman what isn't a willing participant, I guarantee your safety and honor upon my vessel. Will you come?"

Janir looked into his eyes. _I could escape...I could escape marriage, my father...everything...he would protect me, I can see the honesty in his eyes, hear it in his words. _His offer was tempting..._too_ tempting. Silencing the small voice in her head, her virtue, that screamed for her to run away to a 'good' life and never look back, she stepped forward and pressed her forehead against Jack's.

"Jack..." she took a deep breath. "I will come."

**The End**


End file.
